State comparison
Rhode Island vs Hawaii: which state is better to live in?
Hawaii costs a median household about $2,100 a year less in state and local taxes than Rhode Island, mostly because property tax on a median home runs $2,268 a year against $5,590 in Rhode Island, though everyday prices run higher there (cost of living index 196 against 114).
Rhode Island
High tax burden · COL index 114
Wins 10 categories
Hawaii
Moderate tax burden · COL index 196
Wins 6 categories
Taxes: Rhode Island vs Hawaii
Rhode Island has a graduated income tax topping out at 5.99%, which works out to 3.8% on a median income of $74,580, or $2,797 a year. Hawaii has a graduated income tax topping out at 11%, which works out to 6.1% on a median income of $74,580, or $4,559 a year. Rhode Island wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 1.30% of home value a year in Rhode Island and 0.27% in Hawaii (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $5,590 against $2,268, so Hawaii has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.00% in Rhode Island and 4.44% in Hawaii; Hawaii is lower.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $9,953 a year in Rhode Island, $7,821 in Hawaii. Hawaii is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
Rhode Island's cost of living index is 114 and Hawaii's is 196, where 100 is the national average; Rhode Island is about 72% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $430K in Rhode Island and $840K in Hawaii (Zillow, 2024), a $410K gap in Rhode Island's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,800 a month in Rhode Island and $2,500 in Hawaii.
Home insurance averages $1,400 a year in Rhode Island and $500 in Hawaii, so Hawaii is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 237 incidents per 100,000 residents in Rhode Island and 281 in Hawaii (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); Rhode Island is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 19% lower. Property crime is 1,527 per 100,000 in Rhode Island against 2,480 in Hawaii, again favoring Rhode Island.
Health
Life expectancy is 78.1 years in Rhode Island and 80.7 in Hawaii (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 2.6-year edge for Hawaii. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks Rhode Island's health system 4th of 50 and Hawaii's 11th, so Rhode Island scores better on care.
4.7% of Rhode Island residents have no health insurance against 4.8% in Hawaii, which favors Rhode Island. Both states expanded Medicaid.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Rhode Island's K-12 schools 13th in the country and Hawaii's 25th, 12 places apart in Rhode Island's favor. Neither state runs a school-choice voucher program.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election Rhode Island went to Harris by 17 points and Hawaii went to Harris by 26 points.
Rhode Island has may-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of B; Hawaii has may-issue carry permits and a grade of A, so Hawaii regulates guns more tightly and Rhode Island is the friendlier state for gun owners.
Abortion is protected by state law in both states, and marijuana is legal for adults in both as of 2026. The minimum wage is $14.00 an hour in Rhode Island and $14.00 in Hawaii.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is moderate in Rhode Island (hurricane, nor-easter, flood) and moderate in Hawaii (hurricane, tsunami, volcano). Annual average air quality index is 32 in Rhode Island and 18 in Hawaii (under 50 is good), favoring Hawaii.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at tax year 2026 rates, last checked against state sources on 2026-09-14. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
10
Rhode Island
6
Hawaii
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is Rhode Island or Hawaii better to live in?
Rhode Island wins more of the measures that decide a move. Hawaii on taxes ($7,821 a year for a median household against $9,953); Rhode Island on everyday costs (index 114 against 196); Rhode Island on safety (237 violent crimes per 100,000 against 281); Rhode Island on schools (ranked 13th against 25th).
Which is cheaper, Rhode Island or Hawaii?
Rhode Island is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 114 against 196. The median home is $430K in Rhode Island and $840K in Hawaii (2024). On state and local taxes Hawaii saves a median household about $2,100 a year.
Does Rhode Island or Hawaii have lower taxes?
Hawaii. A household earning $74,580 pays about $9,953 a year in Rhode Island ($2,797 income tax, $5,590 property tax on the median home and $1,566 in sales tax) and $7,821 in Hawaii ($4,559 income tax, $2,268 property tax on the median home and $993 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, Rhode Island or Hawaii?
Rhode Island, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 237 per 100,000 residents in Rhode Island and 281 in Hawaii; property crime is 1,527 against 2,480.
Which has better schools, Rhode Island or Hawaii?
Rhode Island. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Rhode Island 13th of 50 for K-12 and Hawaii 25th.
Is Rhode Island or Hawaii better for retirees?
Hawaii is friendlier to retirees on paper. Rhode Island taxes Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has an estate tax; Hawaii does not tax Social Security, exempts pensions and has an estate tax. Property tax on a median home is $5,590 a year in Rhode Island and $2,268 in Hawaii.